Malicious software or “malware” is any software used to interfere with computer system operations, gain unauthorized access to computer systems, acquire private or otherwise sensitive information, display unwanted advertising, or conduct any other harmful activities. Forms of malware include, but are not limited to, computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware, and the like. Malware can take the form of executable code, scripts, active content, and other software.
While many of the forms of malware can cause harm to computer systems and hardship to its users, one form in particular, i.e., ransomware, is troublesome for data centers that host application programs (applications) and store large amounts of critical data for enterprises and clients. Ransomware is malicious program code that encrypts data and prevents applications access to that data until a ransom is paid.